As shown in FIGS. 11(A) and 11(B), a first substrate 1 and a second substrate 2 constituting a liquid crystal panel 10 are bonded to each other by a sealant 3 with spacers 32 therebetween, leaving a predetermined gap. A liquid crystal 40 is enclosed in a gap 31. Polarizers 4A and 4B are attached to the first and second substrates 1 and 2, respectively. On the inner surface of the first substrate 1, electrodes 6A, which are composed of ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) films as transparent conductive films or the like for displaying various characters or for displaying dots, are formed on the surface of an underlayer protective film 11, which is composed of a silicon oxide film or the like; and on the inner surface of the second substrate 2, electrodes 7A composed of ITO films for displaying various characters or for displaying dots are also formed on the surface of an underlayer protective film 21 composed of a silicon oxide film or the like. Transparent insulation films 12 and 22 are formed so as to cover the electrodes 6A and 7A in the first and second substrates 1 and 2, and alignment layers 13 and 23 composed of polyimide films are formed on the surfaces of the transparent insulation films 12 and 22.
The sealant 3 conventionally used is composed of a two-part phenol-novolac-type epoxy resin or two-part aliphatic-type epoxy resin, and if the sealant 3 is brought into contact with the alignment layers 13 and 23 composed of polyimide films, sufficient adhesion does not tend to be obtainable at the interfaces. Therefore, in the conventional liquid crystal panel 10, a space S must be secured between the sealant 3 and the alignment layer 13 and between the sealant 3 and the alignment layer 23, and the following fabrication method has been used. That is, in the fabrication process of the conventional liquid crystal panel 10, as shown in FIG. 12, firstly, electrodes 6A and 7A are formed in the regions for forming the individual substrates, which correspond to single first and second substrates 1 and 2, produced by dividing first and second large substrates 1A and 2A which include a plurality of first and second substrates 1 and 2 to be cut out, and which are obtained by cutting along cutting projection lines L1 and L2 of the large substrates 1A and 2A. The transparent insulation films 12 and 22 are then formed in the regions (the regions marked by slanted broken lines in FIG. 12) that are slightly inside the regions for forming the sealant 3. Next, the alignment layers 13 and 23 (polyimide films) are formed by flexographic printing so as to be superposed on the transparent insulation films 12 and 22. On one of the first and second large substrates 1A and 2A, the sealant 3 is formed so as to surround the regions for forming alignment layers 13 and 23 in the periphery, and the first and second large substrates 1A and 2A are bonded to each other with the sealant 3. Next, after the bonded first and second large substrates 1A and 2A are separated into single panels or into strip panels, a liquid crystal is injected under reduced pressure from an opening 30 of the sealant 3, and the opening 30 of the sealant 3 is then closed.
However, in the conventional liquid crystal panel 10, as shown in FIG. 11(B), since there is the space S between the sealant 3 and the alignment layer 13 or 23, a low twist domain occurs in the liquid crystal 40 in the section corresponding to the space S. Since the low twist domain degrades the display quality, such a region cannot be used as the region for displaying images. Consequently, the effective region for displaying images is reduced. If the alignment layers 13 and 23 are formed by flexographic printing so as to be brought as close as possible to the region for forming the sealant 3 (the region marked by slanted solid lines), the region in which the low twist domain occurs can be reduced. However, even if the accuracy of a flexographic printer is increased, it is not possible to control the printing region (the region marked by slanted broken lines in FIG. 12) of the alignment layers 13 and 23 in a roller travelling direction (the direction shown by an arrow X in FIG. 12) so as to reduce the space S in which the low twist domain occurs. Although, in the width direction of a roller used for flexographic printing (the direction shown by an arrow Y in FIG. 12), the printing region can be easily controlled in comparison with that in the roller travelling direction, yet it is impossible to narrow the region in which the low twist domain occurs beyond a certain amount.
In view of the problems described above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a liquid crystal panel in which the region for displaying images can be enlarged by preventing the low twist domain occurring in the space region between alignment layers and a sealant.